William rush



(No Model.)

Willa'am R nah.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

WILLIAM RUSH, OF TYRONE, PENNSYLVANIA, ASSIGNOR OF ONE-IIALF TO S. L.SMITH, OF SAME PLACE.

LEVEL..

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 474,861, dated May 17,1892.

Application filed January 22, 1892. Serial No. 418,920. (No model.)

To a/ZZ whom t may concern:

Be it known that I, VILLIAM RUSH, a citizen of the United States,residing at Tyrone,

in the county of Blair and State of Pennsyl- Vania, have invented a newand useful Level,

of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to improvements in levels, the objects in viewbeing to provide a level of cheap and simple construction adapt lo ed toaccurately indicate the various inclinations of any object or surfaceand to be setto any degree of a circle for such purpose.

Other objects and advantages of the invention will appear in thefollowing description,

I5 and the novel features thereof will be particularly pointed out inthe claims.

Referring to the drawings, Figure 1 is an elevation of a levelconstructed in accordance with my invention. Fig. 2 is a longitudinal 2osection of the same. Fig. 3 is a detail in perspective of the disk. Fig.4 is a transverse sectional view on the line @c of Fig. 1.

Like numerals of reference indicate like parts in all the figures of thedrawings.

2 5 l designates the usual level-bar, constructed of wood or metal, andthe same is provided at its center with a circular opening 2, extendingthroughout the width of the level bar. This opening has snugly fitted"therein an an- 3o nular bushing or ring 3 of metal, the same beingemployed or not, as may be desired. At one side and near its edge thebushing 8 is provided with a recess 4, and registering with the same isa recess or cavity 5, formed 3 5 in the adjacent face of the level-barl. A metal housing 6 is seated in the cavity 5, and has its edgessecured by nails or otherwise to the level-bar. The housing has itsfront face slotted, as at 7, and moving in the same is a 4o thumb-lug 8,which is secured at its inner end to a bolt 9, spring-pressed from therear, as shown. The outer end of the boltis chamfered or beveled andprojects through and beyond the opening 4: of the bushing.

4.5 10 designates a metal disk of a width corresponding with that of thelevel-bar and of a diameter adapting it to fit without lost motion andfor rotation in the bushing 3. The disk 10 is provided with an annularpassage 5o or bore extending throughout the same and indicated at 11,and at one side of its center the disk is provided with oppositesight-openings 12, which communicate with the radial passage or borenear one end of the same. The disk hasits periphery divided off into degrecs of a circle, which degrees are indicated by inclined notches 13,designed to be engaged by the spring-pressed pawl or detent 9,heretofore mentioned. Fitting within the passage 11 of the disk andnearly equalin g the 6o same in length is a glass bob-tube 14:. Each endofthe tube is stopped or plugged by suitable hermetical plugs 15, fromthe upper side of the lower one of which extends up into the tube a pinor pointer 16, which pin is concentric with the diameter of the tube,or, in other words, bears axial relation therewith. The upper plug haspassed downwardly and centrally through it a thread 17, which dependsinto the tube, the lower end ofV the 7o thread having attached to it asmall plummet 18 of lead, which when hanging plumb orvertical meets oris directlyoverthe xed pointer just mentioned.

For the purpose of maintaining the disk within the bushing annular rings19 are secured to the face of the level-bar by screws 20. These ringshave an external diameter slightly greater than the diameter of theannular opening 2 of the level-bar, and have an 8o internal diameterslightlyless than the diameter of the disk, so that the joint betweenthe disk-bushing and levehbar is covered by the rings. i

This completes the construction of the level, 8 5

and the operation is as follows: For instance,

in order to plumb a Wall, it is simply necessary to revolve the diskuntil the spring-deu tent engages with the notch indicating zero, andthus when placed against a wall the 9o plummet can be observed throughthe sightopenings as being directly in axial and vertical alignmentorcoincident with the stationary pin at the lower end of the plumb-bobtube. The face of the disk is preferably divided off into degrees of acircle, which degrecs are indicated within the area of the metal ringand terminate at their outer ends in notches for engagement by thedetent, said detent being vertically above and in line with roo the studor pin. For example, take a plane at forty-five degrees inclination,place the level-bar upon it, disengage the detent from the disk, andrevolve the disk until the fortyiive-degree notch is engaged by thedetent, at

. which time the zero-notch will be exactly vertical, and if the inclinebe truly at an inclination of forty-five degrees the plummet will appeardirectly over the pin or stud. In order to prevent the plummet fromundue vibration and quickly settle the same, the tube is preferablyfilled with alcohol.

From the foregoing description, in connection with the accompanyingdrawings, it will be seen that I have provided a level of greatsimplicity and durability, the bob-tube of which, together with itscontents, is thoroughly protected and not open to impairment by theatmosphere, falls, jars, or other rough handling; furthermore, that anyinclination may be readily obtained orindicated, and that with accuracyand dispatch.

Having described my invention, what I claim isl 1. In alevel, thecombination, with the levelbar having a transverse annular opening, of adisk mounted for rotation in the opening and provided with a transverserecess and at one side with a sight-opening communicating therewith, aplumb-bob tube located in the recess, a centrally-located pointer at thelower end and within the tube, and a plummet loosely suspended from theopposite end Within the tube, substantially as specified.

2. In alevel, the combination, with the levelbar having a transverseannular opening, of a disk mounted for rotation in the opening andprovided witha transverse recess and at one side with a sight-openingcommunicating therewith, said disk being provided with notches at itsperiphery in accordance with the degrees of a circle, a spring-detentlocated at one side of a disk and adapted to engage the notches, abob-tube located in the recess of the disk, a pin or pointer locatedcentrally at one yend of and within the tube opposite the sight-opening,and a plummet suspended.

from the opposite end of and within the tube coincident with the pin orpointer, substantially as speciiied.

3. In alevel, the combination, with the levelbar having the annularopening and the metal bushing snugly tting the same, of the disk mountedfor rotation within the bushing, said disk being provided with atransverse recess, and a communicating sight-opening in its face, abob-tube fitted in the recess opposite the sight-opening, plugs locatedin the opposite ends of the tube, a centrally-located pin projectingupwardly within the tube from the lower plug, and a plummet loosely hungfrom the opposite plug within the tube, substantially as specified.

4. In alevel, the combination, with the levelbarl having the annulartransverse opening andthe metalbushingittingsnugly withinthe opening andprovided at one side with a recess communicating with a cavity formed inthe level-bar, of a metal disk fitting the bushing, said disk having itsface provided with the degrees of a circle terminating at the peripheryof the disk in notches, and the disk being further provided with aradial recess or passage and opposite sightopenings communicatin g withthe lower end of the passage, a spirit-tube located in the passage,plugs in the opposite ends of the tube, a point projecting upwardlywithin the tube from the bottom plug, a thread passed through the centerof the upper plug, a plummet secured thereto and depending into thetube, a metal housing located in the cavityof the level-bar and securedto said bar and provided with a slot, a thumb-lug mounted for movementin the slot, a bolt or detent secured to the inner end of the thumb-lugand having its free end projected through the notch in the bushing andadapted to engage the notches of the disk, a coiled spring arranged inrear of the bolt, and the retaining-rings secured to the opposite sidesof the level-bar and overlapping ythe joints between the bushing,level-bar, and disk, substantially as specified.

In testimony that I claim the foregoing as my own I have hereto affixedmy signature in the presence ot two Witnesses.

VILLIAM RUSH.

Witnesses:

W. WALToN, H. B. CALDEvvooD.

